[naz]

Quote:If it was "only" the gas mileage, why are Corolla sales dropping?
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my guess is a combination of the yaris getting even better fuel econ than corolla, the supply of prius loosened up (prius is #16 best selling car), camry hybrid coming onto the market, and the new corolla coming out (IIRC the new corolla was released in late march, so a number of people thinking about a corolla were likely waiting around for the new one)

also, looking at those sales #s alone doesn't tell the whole story.. you would need to take into account the switching patterns of the consumer.

my hypothesis (which i have no way to prove with publicly available data) is that focus retail customers are coming from ford's truck and large car customers and not other auto co's small car customers (ie former F150, explorer guys realizing they need gas savings, fusion guys who realized the focus fit their needs for a lower price.. basically guys who buy into the ford brand image already)

the key doubt i have about ford's turnaround strat is i don't think their north american product portfolio and pipeline is sufficiently compelling to overcome the biases that many consumers have in place already

so far the tangible cash flow improvement appears to come mainly from cost cutting initiatives and sale of non core vehicle brands. at some point ford will have to grow its top line (without the fleet sales crutch) and i'm not convinced the product is in place for that to happen.

it is possible to spin the #s to make it look like the products are gaining traction (just like how its possible to spin the #s 6mo ago to say the US econ wasn't in a recession) but i think digging deeper the fundamentals aren't there

[oldeguy]

OAC_Sparky,Apr 15 2008, 01:03 PM Wrote:

oldeguy,Apr 15 2008, 08:56 AM Wrote:Let's just hope that FORD REALIZES THAT THE fOCUS IS A HOT COMMODITY BECAUSE OF THE PRICE OF GAS, NOT IT'S 'GOOD LOOKS'
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In your opinion.

Back when I joined here, people here hated the '05s. Now the '05 people hate the '08s.

If it was "only" the gas mileage, why are Corolla sales dropping?
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Agreed. In my opinion, and a few others on this board. I actually like a lot of it except the front end grille. Corolla, windows break on them don't they? Besides, they're too expensive, and boring.

[OAC_Sparky]

naz,Apr 15 2008, 01:27 PM Wrote:...my hypothesis (which i have no way to prove with publicly available data)...[right][snapback]262074[/snapback][/right]

Which basically sums it up.

But here are some facts:

...Fleet sales are down...self-imposed to drive up residual/resale value -- which is why, for example, the residual on the Edge is over 50%, the highest in its segment.

...Ranger sales are up...THOSE sales are likely F150 owners downsizing. Not very many F150 owners downsize to a Focus.

...Focus sales are UP...No hatchback, no SVT/ST/Hi-performance model. All the things that people here/FF/FJ were up in arms about. Sales STILL up.

...Fusion sales are driven in a large part by conquest sales. I'm assuming you understand what conquest sales are. http://media.ford.com/newsroom/feature_dis...m?release=25193

...No products? New Taurus, F150, Focus, MKS, MKT, Fiesta, Fusion refresh...Ecoboost, small diesel, all coming soon, many this year.

So as much as you want to rain on Ford's parade, your "hypotheses" do not hold up.

[Frost__2001]

OAC_Sparky,Apr 15 2008, 01:03 PM Wrote:Back when I joined here, people here hated the '05s. Now the '05 people hate the '08s.

If it was "only" the gas mileage, why are Corolla sales dropping?
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I still don't like the 2005 - 2007 Focus models, and honestly as a tall person I hate the dash board lay out even more now then I did when I first saw it back in 2004, as it gouges into my right leg when driving it, I don't know how people can stand it. But I should mention after driving a few 2008's, I like them, it's easier for me to drive, and I don't have that same issue with the 2005-07 in the 2008 model, and I like the styling, minus all the crome of course, I honestly would like to see a wagon version, if they made them.

I think the reason why people are buying less and less Corollas is simple, everyone has one now, and you pay tonnes more for packaged options that come standard in alot of other cars on the market in the Corolla price bracket. Yes its borring to look at and even more boring to drive, but it's been on the market longer in this model generation then the last ones, as Toyota has admited that the 2009 model was too boring to compete against the Civic, right after it launched the newest one 2 years ago.